We were lucky to catch up with Erica D’Andrea recently and have shared our conversation below.

Erica, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard

Black White Gray offers pieces that any woman can wear as the base of an entire wardrobe. If you have these select 6-8 key pieces in your closet, you can build dozens of looks off of them and use them for years to come if cared for properly.

I realize it goes against all sales ideology, but I believe, and Black White Gray is built off of the idea that you don’t need to buy countless items of clothing and match trends every season. You need to buy a handful of key, classic items that can last for years.

Erica, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m Erica. I come from modest, hard-working, family-centered roots in small-town Pennsylvania. I grew up going to Catholic school wearing uniforms for 12 years. After graduating high school, I assumed I would celebrate each day choosing outfits that were not dictated to me by administration; however, I quickly realized I would feel comfort and stability in classic pieces I could wear every day and feel beautiful and put-together in. Two years into my college education at Kutztown University – Pennsylvania State School – I realized I wanted to focus my business degree in fashion. Upon graduating, I moved to New York City to complete a second program in fashion merchandising management at The Fashion Institute of Technology. For decades I worked in merchandising, store operations, buying, and planning at major American retailers. After the birth of my second child and taking almost five years off of corporate work, I decided that if I was ever to work in fashion again, that I would do it for myself, starting a business where only the classic pieces that anyone could wear and wear forever were the backbone of the assortment. And, that, when possible, the merchandise was made here, in the USA. And after, in countries and manufacturers that were the experts in a particular area such as Italy for silks and wools and India for cotton.

And this is Black White Gray. A place where everyone can shop wardrobe staples. Pieces that are timeless and can be worn year-round in many cases. Pieces that can build countless, diverse looks. Pieces made in America, when possible, then sourced from reputable manufacturers worldwide that have a respect for the planet, employee, consumer and their end-product.

Black White Gray is built off of the idea that you don’t need to buy countless items of clothing and match trends every season. You need to buy a handful of key, classic items that can last for years

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

The initial capital to start my business was simply saved off of my salary from my part time job that I took on in the evenings after I quit my corporate, 9-5 job so that I could stay at home to raise my small children.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Black White Gray participates and hosts pop-up shop events where we can meet and shop with customers face-to-face vs the website. These events are incredibly successful for the store and allows us to meet potential customers and start the relationship, explain our back story and allows the customers a chance to touch and see the items first-hand.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://blackwhitegrayeveryday.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blackwhitegray_everyday/